The Studio
Cheap is always my watchword because, as an educator, I never have too much money! I never have an abundance of space either so I set everything up as tight as possible. Remember, you will control what your audience sees, so you are only concerned with dressing part of your set.
Backgrounds
I’ve used a variety of things from a bare wall to a painted backdrop. Currently I’m using a 12’X15’ canvas dropcloth for painters. It cost $35 at Home Depot. You can build false walls, ala Stagecraft 101, but they take up a lot of space. Some schools may have an Art Department or resources that could paint the wall with a scene or your logo on it. Sheets of paneling leaned against the wall will work, but it’s best to attach them somehow so there’s not a danger of them falling on your students. Another option I’ve used many times is a piece of $1 a yard cloth from the clearance section at Wal-Mart. It can be a solid color or some pattern. After a holiday I would buy something I could use next year, hearts for Valentine’s Day, leaves for Autumn, etc. Glue Velcro on the wall and the material for a quick change method. Attach shower or regular curtain clips and mount a rod to your wall. Let your imagination set your limits!
The Set
Space is the limit on your set up. I have built a newsdesk (2X4s and a sheet of paneling), used an old table, with and without a piece of cloth over it, and had the Anchors sitting on bar stools. There could be fake plants or a shelf with books or whatever behind them. Another opportunity for your imagination to run wild!
Lighting
The use of lights can really make a difference in the look of your set and show. I recommend basic triangle lighting as the best and easiest method. This involves a Key Light, or main light, a Fill Light and a Back Light. The Key Light should be the brightest light in the front. To accomplish this you can have the Key Light closer or the Fill Light further back, your choice. The Back Light should be just as bright as the Key Light. It is aimed at the back of your subject’s head, creating a highlight on their head and shoulders. Another light to consider is a Background Light. The name says it all, it lights up the background. It can either be attached to the ceiling or on the floor, depending on your needs.
Real TV lighting is expensive and heavy, but you don’t need it. I use clamp-on lights with high wattage bulbs in them (using a higher wattage bulb can be dangerous because of the heat generated so be very careful when doing this). With a suspended ceiling I can hang them wherever I need them. At times I have built a grid out of PVC pipe mounted on the ceiling. You can then hang the lights from the grid. This is the way it’s done in a real TV studio. An alternative is the halogen worklights available at Home Depot and Wal-Mart. They are better lights for our purposes but harder to mount. These same lights on their stands are great for location shoots. Remember you would need three of them for this.
Bounce Lighting is another useful technique. All you do is aim the lights at a white ceiling, wall or even a piece of gatorboard and literally bounce the light toward the subject. This technique provides a softer, even light around your set. The main thought here is that the light must be bounced off a white surface; a colored surface will color the light.